


The Family Bond

by merry_amelie



Series: Stand-alones [25]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-21
Updated: 2011-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-12 20:55:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4494393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A melancholy Knight + his former Master = the perfect pair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Family Bond

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For  
> My beta team: Nerowill, Emila-Wan, and Carol  
> Mali Wane for posting  
> My former betas: Alex, Ula, and Padawan Sue  
>   
> To Mrs. Hamill

"A credit for your thoughts, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked as they knelt facing each other in the Water Garden.  
  
A brook meandered its way around the clearing they had chosen to meet in that afternoon, its rushing waters invigorating the conversation.  
  
"I'm sorry, Qui-Gon," the Knight said, twisting a copper strand of his newly shoulder-length hair. "I shouldn't have agreed to meditate with you today. My thoughts are too scattered for such focus."  
  
Qui-Gon said softly, "Perhaps not with me, but you look like meditation is precisely what you need."  
  
"Once the Master, always the Master." Obi-Wan stared pensively at the current splashing over the stones.  
  
"Maybe so, but never doubt that I see the new Knight in front of me." Qui-Gon followed Obi-Wan's gaze to the brook beside them.  
  
"Do you really?" asked Obi-Wan. "It isn't that easy for me to break the habits we've fallen into over the years. Sometimes I still feel like your Padawan myself."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded in understanding. "And I your Master. Of course, we'll always be linked in that way. But now we have the potential to become even more to each other."  
  
A thrill surged through Obi-Wan at these words, which helped him to open up a little to Qui-Gon. "I just got a holo from my brother Owen on Tatooine, and it caught me by surprise."  
  
"I hope everything's all right..." Qui-Gon trailed off in an open-ended question.  
  
Obi-Wan ran a hand through his coppery spikes. "Oh, yes, everybody's fine." He took a deep breath. "He's getting married this month."  
  
"Please send him my congratulations. I take it he wants you to be there?" asked Qui-Gon.  
  
"Yes, that's part of the problem." Obi-Wan sighed. His brother's wedding had become the catalyst for more introspection than he had endured in his Trials. Perhaps this should have been one of them, he mused wryly.  
  
"Ah, you won't be able to attend because of our upcoming mission to Coltador." Qui-Gon put a comforting hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I'm sorry you'll miss such an important family event."  
  
"Thank you, Qui-Gon," said Obi-Wan, relishing the warmth of that huge hand. "Though I am sorry I'll miss it, that's not really what's been bothering me."  
  
"Are you worried about Owen's reaction, then?" When his former Padawan didn't answer right away, Qui-Gon continued, "Don't worry, Obi-Wan. No one knows of your commitment to your diplomatic duties better than Owen. He'll understand."  
  
Embarrassment tinged the air between them. "It's not that, either." Obi-Wan admitted reluctantly.  
  
Qui-Gon squeezed his shoulder. "There's no need to tell me if it's too personal."  
  
Blue-green eyes looked up in gratitude. "You never push too hard, and I grew up the better for it."  
  
"Thank you, Obi-Wan. Indeed you did." Qui-Gon touched a wistful finger to the skin behind the Knight's right ear, where his braid had started.  
  
That simple touch inspired Obi-Wan to confide in Qui-Gon, the way he had his childhood predicaments. "I have to admit I wasn't thinking of Owen at all," he blurted in shame-faced anguish, suddenly finding it easier to focus on the muja-colored lirri grass he was kneeling upon than on his former Master.  
  
"What, then?" Qui-Gon's voice had gentled even further.  
  
"Emotions unbecoming of a Jedi, I'm afraid," Obi-Wan admitted in a low voice. "Owen's happiness reminds me of what I'm missing," he said miserably.  
  
"Oh, Obi-Wan," said Qui-Gon in quiet compassion, and cupped his cheek with an impossibly tender touch.  
  
Memories of Qui-Gon's comfort over the years flooded through Obi-Wan, along with the warmth of his hand. Nothing in the galaxy could have prevented Obi-Wan from pressing into that palm.  
  
They stayed this way for a time, both of them relaxing into the moment.  
  
Then Obi-Wan took that gentle hand into his own. "An ordinary life," he mused aloud.  
  
"Are you considering leaving the Order, then?" Qui-Gon did his best to strip this question of his own emotions, but he could still hear the sadness threading through it.  
  
"No!" Obi-Wan gasped reflexively, his nerveless fingers dropping Qui-Gon's hand onto the grass. "Never that, Qui-Gon. It's just that I was not prepared for the onslaught of regrets, which have been difficult for me to overcome." He blew out a frustrated breath. "I thought I was content."  
  
One broad forefinger lifted Obi-Wan's chin so he could look into Qui-Gon's eyes. "You know, just because you've become a Knight doesn't mean you must bear your burdens alone. Master Yoda has surely told you about my visits to his 'home away from swamp' after your bedtime when you first became my Padawan."  
  
"Oh, that he has, Qui-Gon. How could he ever keep such juicy gossip to himself?" The corners of Obi-Wan's mouth quirked up almost in spite of himself. He was feeling better already.  
  
Qui-Gon was delighted to see it. "He obviously couldn't -- not our Master Yoda," he drawled.  
  
"I must have been quite a handful," Obi-Wan said ruefully.  
  
"Only when you were awake," replied Qui-Gon drolly.  
  
That finally got a chuckle out of Obi-Wan, as he blinked in surprise at Qui-Gon's teasing.  
  
"Now that's what I like to hear," Qui-Gon said fondly.  
  
Obi-Wan said, "You've always had a way of making me feel better."  
  
"I'm very glad to hear it," said Qui-Gon with a smile. "I hope it helps that I do understand your regrets and share some of them myself. The desire for a family is nearly universal, at least among humanoids, and though the Jedi are a family, in some ways, they can't fully replace what we've lost."  
  
"You understand me so well," Obi-Wan said, relief infusing every word.  
  
"While I can't take the place of Owen and the rest of your clan, I hope you think of me as family," said Qui-Gon.  
  
"I've always felt closer to you than anyone else," Obi-Wan said, a shy simplicity imbuing his words.  
  
Qui-Gon reached his hand out to grasp Obi-Wan's. "That's just the way I've felt about you."  
  
The grin he gave Qui-Gon was pure Obi-Wan. "Before you get too carried away, I have to confess to some very un-Padawanly thoughts about you."  
  
Since he never wore his Master-diplomat mask with Obi-Wan in private, Qui-Gon's face was laid bare for Obi-Wan to see. And what he saw was absolute shock.  
  
"I had no idea," said Qui-Gon faintly, glad that he was already kneeling.  
  
"I can see that," said Obi-Wan with a glimmer of humor, despite his surging emotions.  
  
Qui-Gon recovered himself quickly, buoyed by the glint in the blue-green eyes gazing at him. His lips curved up. "In the interest of honesty, I must admit to a few un-Masterly thoughts of my own."  
  
Obi-Wan looked at him in wonder; could Qui-Gon be telling him what he so desperately wanted to hear? "Are you saying..."  
  
Qui-Gon's eyes crinkled. "Indeed I am." He reached for his Knight and they embraced, still kneeling on the lirri grass. "I love you, my Obi-Wan."  
  
"I love you, Qui-Gon." The rightness of the words sang in Obi-Wan's ears.  
  
Qui-Gon kissed him then; a kiss enriched with everything they'd shared the last twelve years. Sweet, deep, completely intoxicating.  
  
"Any more regrets, Obi-Wan?" asked Qui-Gon with a well-kissed smile.  
  
"None at all, my love, none at all," Obi-Wan said in pure satisfaction.


End file.
